How to Write an Excellent First Draft

by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen @ Quips and Tips

Writing an excellent first draft makes your revisions, editing, and rewriting much easier. This advice from published authors, full-time copywriters, and freelance writers will pave the way to an excellent first draft – even if you’re a professional published writer.

First, a writing tip – because that’s what “quips and tips” is all about!

In Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids, Christina Katz describes how to find your writing voice: write from the gut right out of the gate, study writers who use a lively voice, enjoy what you write, and remember your audience.

Finding your writing voice will help you write an excellent first draft – and so will these tips from various freelancers, editors, novelists, and copywriters.

How to Write an Excellent First Draft for Novelists, Freelance Writers, & Editors

To learn more about each writer, poet, copywriter, blogger, or writing coach quoted here, click on their name. You’ll go right to their website or blog…and you’ll be glad you did!

Growing by leaps and bounds

“When you first put pen to paper, try your best not to edit yourself and let all your ideas loose, even if you believe they are stupid, cliched, or poorly written. Learn to embrace the process of revision and consider it your salvation; if you work hard on subsequent drafts, remain persistent, and learn how to be both gentle and honest with yourself, you will be able to make great leaps from draft to draft.” – Laryssa Wirstiuk, founder and editor-in-chief of Too Shy to Stop

No frills

“Write the first draft without adjectives and adverbs. You can always add text, but once you’ve added a word, it’s much harder to bring yourself to edit the flowery prose.” – Kate Lee

Let it chill

“First: Start with a legal pad, outline it. Second: Write a first draft, close it and walk away till morning – you’ll have great ideas after you’ve left it alone for a while. Third: Pretend to tell the story, description, topic to a friend – then write down how it came out of your mouth.” – Angela Moore

Write for yourself first

“The best writing tip that I ever received was from my high school creative writing teacher, (the late) Ms. Daisy Aldan – she told us to write for ourselves first and worry about the corrections later. If you get so tangled up in spelling and grammatical etiquette, then you will interrupt the flow of thought and the finished product will be disjointed.” – Chelle Cordero, author

Write as if you’re speaking

“My first job out of college was with an advertising agency where the owner taught me to write copy. His words were, ‘Write as if you are speaking directly to the other person.’ This technique draws the reader in.” – Elinor Stutz, CEO and author

Use tangible words

“Especially as a copywriter, I find my clients resonate more deeply with copy which include “real” words. Since I am often describing a product or service, I draw a picture of the end result using picturesque nouns, pretty words and tangible concepts.” – Nicole Amsler, freelance copywriter

If you are woman, buy a tiara

“This could also work for men who are secure in their sexuality! I have trained my two small children (ages 5 and 6) to notice when I am wearing the tiara. They may not interrupt me if the tiara is on my head. I use this frequently in order to get phone interviews done.” – Nicole Amsler, freelance copywriter

Don’t get so excited!

“The best writing tip I ever received was from a former boss, who told me to avoid using exclamation points at all costs. He said the tone and content of the message should convey all the excitement.” – Darcy Silvers

Write like you speak

“The best writing advice I’ve ever gotten is write like you speak! Many writers-especially beginners-tend to overwrite. They may be trying to sound professional and poised, but they come across as forced and uptight. It’s not your egregious error; it’s your stupid mistake.” – Jenna McCarthy, book author

Don’t stop to edit

“This is probably the most helpful writing advice I’ve received: don’t stop to edit while you’re writing your first draft. It stops the flow. If you’ve got a concept, run with it. Write down whatever comes to mind. When you’ve finished writing, you can then go back and edit.” – Rickey Gold, blogger

Suspend all thoughts of organization and grammar

“Get your ideas onto the page–no matter how messy. When doing so, ask yourself questions like What is my point? and What’s the most important thing I want to get across to the reader? Then ramble it out. Once you’ve made your point, go back and re-read. Once you’re satisfied that your vital ideas are in place, go on to organize the structure and tidy the grammar.” – Tracey McBride, book author and blogger

Know your audience

“The best writing tip, I’ve ever received, is to target your writing to your audience and make sure you know who your audience is before you begin writing.” – AnnaLaura Brown

Write simply

“The best writing tips I received came from a journalism professor who was a former editor at National Geographic. She taught students to write simplistically. Don’t use uncommon or “big” word to show off the fact that you know what a particular word means. Write in a simple manner that your readers will understand. Your goal as a writer is to enlighten or educate the reader – not speak over him or her. Writers should also use strong verbs and avoid “was” and “is” when possible. For example, “the storm was clearing” is not as strong as “the storm cleared.” – Andrea Aker

Cut those adverbs

“This writing advice is from Writing Tools: 50 Essential Tips and Strategies for Every Writer: “Don’t use adverbs as part of showing and not telling. Don’t tell us how he screamed. Show us.” – Dawn M. Goldberg, writer and blogger

Write a bad first draft

“This writing tip doesn’t suggest abandoning your standards -just (temporarily) your internal editor. For writers who have a strong superego calling the shots, getting anything onto paper can be a real challenge. Giving yourself the room for imperfection, at least on the first draft, is an encouraging and necessary condition for creativity.” – Claire Bardos, screenplay writer

KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid

“One of my favorite reference books at my desk is On Writing Well by William Zinser. “Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon …’” – Mary Beth Kriskey, copywriter and public relations specialist

“Keep it plain and simple.” – Cheryl Stephens